Hello and Good morning Folks,
Presenting you the blog tour of the psychological thriller- Too Dark to Sleep by Dianne Gallagher. And today the blog tour is at my stop- Book Stop Corner. Welcome people, we have a review of the book for you, a surprise giveaway and the links to buy this intriguing book which you shouldn't give it a miss. Go ahead read the review and participate in the giveaway.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
“Hell had frozen over and I was lost in its endless labyrinth.”
----Cameo Renae, an American author
Dianne Gallagher, an American first-time author, has spun a mind-blowing psychological thriller, Too Dark to Sleep that will grip your mind with fear from the very first page.
Synopsis:
Time to wake up…
Maggie Quinn was the top homicide detective in Chicago's Area One before she suffered a devastating loss. Now Quinn is damaged… perhaps beyond repair. Once the best detective in Chicago, she is haunted by dreams of a faceless man she could never catch. When the killer returns, Quinn agrees to serve as a consultant, but most cops in Area One tag her as a hazard. Except rookie detective Nick Dublowski who quickly realizes the only way the Chicago Police will catch this elusive killer is with the help of Maggie Quinn.
Back on the job, Quinn becomes as tenacious and sharp as ever. But as the investigation closes in on a suspect, the escalating murders hit dangerously close to home. Quinn’s sanity again begins to fray and her judgment is questioned. Did the suspect really do it? Or is Maggie’s tormented mind pushing her to ruin the life of an innocent man?
Quinn has gone a lot through her life- from getting divorced to facing the death of her daughter to being admitted to the psychic ward after her attempt suicide to losing her job as a detective. But she was called upon to catch a serial killer since she was the best homicide detective in Chicago One area and is assigned to work under Detective Nick Dublowski, who was the only person who believed in her. But will Quinn's broken self be able to play the role of a detective without any cloudy judgements? Can she catch the killer? Read the book to find out the mystery.
The writing is brilliant and the author have unfolded her story in a compelling manner by keeping the twists and turns tightly under wraps and throwing us off the edge when she delivered those twists into her plot. The element of mystery was quite strong and with her evocative prose, she has managed to set the right mood for her readers. The narration is absolutely engrossing enough to keep us turning the pages of the book.
The best part is that the protagonist is mentally unstable and the author embodies herself into Quinn's character to guide us through her unstable mind. Her darkness is so evident from her grim demeanor. And as the story progressed we feel more into Quinn's dark world, so in that way we got to see the story from her eyes, and also gives us a new perspective into her world. Her pain and her struggles are not only intricately detailed but are also quite striking enough to make us feel it. Quinn's character is strong yet sad and dark, but her flaws and instability is what makes us fall for her demeanor. The rest of the cast like Quinn's father or the new rookie cop, etc are well developed and quite believable.
The investigation that goes on in the story is completely real, and the way the author explained it will make you feel as if the whole investigation is unfolding right in front of your eyes. The emotional aspect of the book is also quite strong, and those raw emotional moments were quite compassionately described by the author.
Verdict: If you are a huge fan of serial killers then go for this book!
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Dianne Gallagher, for providing me with a copy of her book, in return for an honest review.
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Author Interview:
To know more about the author, read the interview below.
Me: Welcome to my blog, Dianne. Congratulations on your debut book, Too Dark to Sleep. Can you please share with us the story behind the book, Too Dark to Sleep?
Dianne: It really started with an evening with friends. We were drinking and talking and someone asked the question, "What would you do if you lost everything?" It was a pretty good assortment of answers. But what impressed me was how many people saw it as a positive. A clean slate. All I could think of was, "Well, I would be okay if I lost everything... even my amazing husband... but I don't know that I could survive without my kids. That thought, combined with a character I had tried in other settings without success, led to my coming up with Maggie Quinn.
Me: What inspired you to pen down your crime thriller, Too dark to Sleep?
Dianne: I was having pretty good success with my editing and ghosting. One of my clients landed a very prestigious agent, so I decided it was time to stop writing for others and write for myself.
Me: How will you describe your journey so far as an author? And was it always your one true dream to be an author?
Dianne: A crooked, crooked path. I started in acting and was a theatre major. Switched to playwriting and had some success in the second half of my college career. Then I tried screenplays when my husband and I moved to Los Angeles. When we had kids, well, I started with screenplay typing... because you get paid more for less typing. Then switched to editing, critiquing, and basically writing low budget screenplays for whoever would pay me. When we moved back to the Midwest, no one in the area was writing screenplays. Everything was about novels. So... I switched again and found my niche. Again, I did editing, critiquing, and ghosting before writing for myself.
Me: Tell us one trait of your protagonist, Maggie , that intrigues you the most?
Dianne: Resilience. She can be brought to her knees and still drag herself up. Honestly, there were times I put her in a scene and wondered if she would make it out. That's fun writing. And I think we learn the most about characters and people when they are really facing the worse parts of their lives. The struggle kind of reveals who they are. Even at the opening, when the reader might think Quinn is at her lowest point... she gets up.
Me: What's next up on your writing sleeves? Please tell us briefly about it?
Dianne: Well, I'm trying to finish the first book of a second series. Something not quite as dark. Indigo will be the first book featuring Sid Adler... who has a whole truckload of issues to deal with. She is a pro at psych evaluations. Is very good at interviewing people... but she's a hot mess in a lot of ways. Again, obstacles reveal character and make it tons of fun to write. After that, I'll be heading back to the second book with Quinn. This won't be quite as dark... because she has to fortify herself for the third book in the series. That one should be a roller coaster.
Me: How will you describe your normal writing day? And how do you get away from the stress of a long day's work?
Dianne: I am not as disciplined as some. I tend to write when the ideas are there. So if I'm empty for the day, I don't write. Today, for instance, I did some time on the elliptical to start because sitting for hours is a killer. When the weather's nice, I walk. Lots of good ideas happen when I'm walking. Like Quinn, I have playlists for projects. So, I loop the playlist, sit down and write.
I usually start by rewriting the previous day's work, then push on from there. I'm a huge re-writer, so I tend to spit out a first draft as quickly as I can... then rewrite for the majority of the time I work on a manuscript. I over-write also, so I usually need to cut an 800 page first draft down to a workable size. If I'm on a roll, I'll work for 8 or more hours.
Me: Thank you so much for joining me today, Dianne. I can only wish you luck in all your future endeavors?
Dianne: Thank you so much. And thanks for hosting this stop of the blog tour. It's been fun.
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Author Info:
Life is Never a Straight Line
Growing up in rural Minnesota, Dianne attended the University of Minnesota where she got a BFA in Theatre. Although her initial interest was in performance, Dianne eventually focused on playwriting and had competition-winning scripts performed at that school.
After moving to Los Angeles so her husband could attend film school, Dianne switched focus to screenplays. While writing her own spec material, Dianne formatted, edited, critiqued and wrote independent scripts. While in Los Angeles, she was approached by writer Karen Hall and asked to edit and mentor a young writer Hall discovered while doing research on death row inmates. The professional relationship which lasted several years gave Dianne a unique look into the prison system and into the individuals sitting on death row.
A move to the Chicago area translated into a new focus on novels as well as a love for the big-shouldered city. Dianne edited, critiqued and ghosted a variety of fiction and nonfiction pieces while having great fun with her family. As projects she worked on were placed with agencies like Writers House, Dianne decided to start writing for herself. The result is the debut novel, Too Dark to Sleep.
Book Purchase Links:
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Praise for Too Dark to Sleep:
Book Purchase Links:
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Praise for Too Dark to Sleep:
“Too Dark to Sleep is a brilliant, well-written novel... Maggie Quinn is an incredible main character, multifaceted and strong despite setback after setback… This riveting story tells of Maggie's battles with a brilliant "bad guy" and with the darkness that threatens her after her breakdown. The suspense in this story is first-rate from its opening pages to the story's conclusion and makes Too Dark to Sleep a spine-tingling book that readers everywhere will adore.” – Alice DiNizo, Readers Favorite (5 Stars)
“In the vein of Jeffrey Deaver thrillers, Dianne Gallagher’s Maggie Quinn will draw you in and have you following her every move as she desperately battles her own demons while trying to outmaneuver a mind-game-playing killer.”
“Good, gritty fun… A smart story and thoroughly enjoyable read that grabs you from the get-go and doesn’t let go.”
“Looking forward to the next. I’m anxious to see where the author takes Maggie.”
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Giveaway:
So finally it's giveaway time. Dianne is giving away one paperback copy of her debut thriller, Too Dark to Sleep to one lucky reader. So what are you waiting for go ahead and participate in the rafflecopter giveaway. Good Luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Sounds really good!
ReplyDeleteYes it is, thanks for your comment! :-)
ReplyDeleteI haven't read too many books about serial killers - if any - but this sounds like a great thriller where you really never know what is going to happen next! I can definitely see myself trying this one out.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a very good, suspenseful read!
ReplyDeleteYes Olivia it's a great book and quite intriguing one! :-)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read!
ReplyDeletesounds interesting
ReplyDelete